Mail-bag



(No Model.) 2 Shets-Sheet 1 J. W. DU LANEY. MAIL BAG.

No. 473,616. Patented Apr. 26, 18925.

. UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES WV. DU LANEY, OF CANTON, OHIO.

MAIL-BAG.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 473,616, dated April 26, 1892.

Application filed August 11, 1891- Serial No, M2341. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it nutty concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES W. DU LANEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Gauton, in the county of Stark and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail-Bags; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to mail-bags; and it consists in the novel construction and combination of the parts hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side view of the top part of a mail-bag, and Fig. 2 is an end view of the same. Fig. 3 is a detail front view of the hinge-plates and the locking-lever. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section through the end of the locking-tube, showing the springlock. Figs. 5, 6, and 7 are detail views of the outer tube, the locking-tube, and the catchrod, respectively. Fig. 8 is a detail view of a portion of the plate which is secured to the top of the mail-bag before bending. Figs. 9 and 10 are cross-sections through the outer tube and the catch-rod, respectively, showing the said plate bent to engage with them. Fig. 1

ll is a cross-section through the outer tube and the locking-tube, showing one of the catches in its locked position. Fig. 12 is a similar cross-section, but shows one of the catches released from the locking-tube.

A is the bag, which is made of the usual shape and of the ordinary material.

B are plates which are secured to the top edges of the bag. Each plate is provided with central bars which are bent around and form the loops 1), having open spaces b between them. Each plate is doubled so as to inclose the edge of the bag, and is secured to the bag by rivets B. Each plate is further provided with strips projecting from it on one side, and the said strips are bent over and secured to the plate by the rivets 0', thus forming the loops 0.

D and E are the two hinge-platessecured to the top portions of the bag at each end by the rivets d, and e is the pivot-pin by which the lower ends of each pair of plates are hinged together.

The bag is inclosed within an armor consisting of a series of interlocking links F. Each link consists of two bars ff, arranged substantially at a right angle to each other and having eyes 3 and 4 at their ends, and an eye 5 joining the bars together. The eye 5 is in. the same plane with the bars, and the eyes 3 and 4 are at right angles to the plane of the bars, so that the eyes 3 may engage with the eyes 5 of the next links in the same row, and so that the eyes 4 may engage with the eyes 5 of the nextlinks in the rows below. F are plain links for coupling the links F to the hinge-plates D and E, which are provided with holes 6 for the links F to engage with. The eyes 5 of the top row of links engage with the loops 0 of the plates 13.

G is the outer tube, which has its ends firmly secured into the upper ends of the hingeplates D,and g are bearings on the said tube for the said loops 1) to engage with. Holes 9 are also formed in the tube G between the bearings for the entrance of the lockingcatches.

H is the locking-tube, which is journaled inside the tube G and is provided with holes h, which register with the holes 9 and which have lateral extensions 72. at one end, as shown in Fig. 6.

I is the catch-rod, the ends of which are firmly secured to the upper ends of the hingeplates E. This rod may also be ahollow tube, if desired, orit may be a solid rod. The catchrod is provided with the bearings 2', which eugage with the loopsb of the plate B on the other side of the bag, which loops have holes t" through them and are smaller than the loops which engage with the tube (:r, but otherwise are similar to them.

J are the locking-catches which project from the rod I through the holes 2'', andj are circular bosses on the ends of the catches which fit into the tube H. A shoulder j is formed on the lower side of each boss j and fits the interior of the tube G.

K is a lever, which is secured to the projecting end of the locking-tube and is provided with a slot in'its lower end.

K is a staple projecting from the hingeplate D and adapted to project through the said slot 76.

looking tubes.

maeie When the mail-bag is open, the hinge-plates are in the position shown in Fig. 3.

When the mail-bag is closed, as shown in Fig. 2, the hinge-plates are brought together and the bosses j of the catches J are passed through the holes 9 and h of the outer and The locking-tube is then partially revolved within the outer tube, so that the shanks of the catches J are gripped between the opposite edges of the holes 9 and h. This motion is effected by turning the lever K, and the locking-tube is then pushed in longitudinally, so that the extensions h of the holes 7?. engage with the catches J below the bosses j and prevent the catches from being withdrawn from the holes. When the lever K is turned and pushed back with the locking-tube, the slot k slips over the staple K, and an ordinary padlock may be slipped through the staple to secure the bag. This staple and padlock may, however, be dispensed with, if desired.

In Fig. 4 a spring-lock is shown for securing the bag. Two levers m are pivoted in the tube II on the pin m and are provided with ends n, which pass through the slots 07. in the tube H and engage with holes 0 in the tube G. The ends n are brought opposite the holes 0 by turning the locking-lever. and 0 is a spring, which causes the said ends to enter the said holes automatically and thus to secure the bag.

The bag is unlocked by forcing a key between the inclined endsp of the levers m and thus withdrawing the ends a from the holes 0. The key-hole p is made of peculiar shape, so that the spring-lock can only be unfastened by a key specially made for that purpose and adapted to pass through the key-hole.

WVhen the locking-tube is pulled out and partially revolved by the lever K in the reverse direction, the metal at the ends of the holes It strikes against the shoulders j of the catches and pushes the catches out of engagement with the two tubes, as shown in Fig. 12. Y

What I claim is- 1. The combination, with a mail-bag, of a flexible armor formed of links provided with interlocking eyes or loops, inclosing the bag and secured around its mouth or opening, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with a mail-bag provided with pivoted hinge-plates at its sides and plates secured to its upper edges and furnished with loops, of a flexible chain-armor surrounding the bag and formed of interlocking links connected to the said loops, each link consisting of two bars arranged substantially at a right angle and provided with an eye at their junction and with eyes at their ends and plain links connecting the end links with the said hinge-plates, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with a mail-bag having plates inclosing its upper edges and provided with central bars bent around to form loops, of the pivoted hinge-plates secured to the sides of the bag, the outer tube provided with holes, the catch bar provided with catches, said tube and bar being carried by the upper ends of the said hinge-plates and by the loops, and a locking-tube provided with holes for securing the catches in the holes of the outer tube, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination, with a mail-bag provided with pivoted hinge-plates, of the outer tube provided with holes, the catch-bar provided with catches, said tube and bar being connected to the upper ends of the hingeplates and to the top of the bag, and the retractible locking-tube journaled in the outer tube and provided with holes for the catches to pass through, the said holes having lateral extensions for locking the catches, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. The combination, with a mail-bag provided with pivoted hinge-plates, of the outer tube provided with holes, the catch-bar provided with catches having circular bosses fitting the interior of the locking-tube and projecting shoulders fitting the interior of the outer tube, and the retractible locking-tube journaled in the outer tube and provided with holes having lateral extensions for receiving and locking the catches, the said locking-tube being also adapted to eject the catches by pressing against the said shoulders, substantially as set forth.

0. The combination, with a mail-bag provided with pivoted hinge-plates, of the outer tube provided with holes, the catch-bar provided with catches, the retractible lockingtube j ournaled in the outer tube and provided with holes havinglateral extensions for receiving and locking the catches, and an automatic locking device adapted to secure the lockingtube to the outer tube, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination, with a mail-bag provided with pivoted hinge-plates, one of which has a staple projecting laterally fromits side near the pivot-pin, of the outer tube provided with holes, the catch bar provided with catches, the retractible locking-tube provided with holes adapted to receive and lock the ICC catches, and a lever provided with a slot and secured to the end of the locking-tube, said slot being adapted to slip overthe said staple '7 when the locking-tube is turned in the outer tube by the lever and pushed in to lock the catches, substantially as set forth.

In testimon y whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES IV. DU LANEY.

Witnesses:

STEWART CHRISTIE, JOHN G. PRICE. 

